🔗 Share this article Intensifying War of Words Between Ethiopian Government and Eritrean Government Triggers Fears of Conflict Mounting worries exist about the potential of military engagement between Horn of Africa neighbours, Ethiopia and the Eritrean government, as confrontational rhetoric has ratcheted up in the last month. The Ethiopian government and Eritrea cooperated in the internal conflict in northern Ethiopia but they have since fallen out. What Has Ethiopian Officials Said? Ethiopia's, being landlocked, requests for access to the maritime outlet through Eritrea has triggered a fierce war of words. The Ethiopian leader first openly declared in 2023 that his government's access to the sea was an existential matter, remarks that Eritrea ignored. Ties between the both governments have frequently been strained. Following a decades-long fight for sovereignty, the Eritrean state, which has a 1,350km (840-mile) Red Sea coastline, legally broke away from Ethiopian rule in 1993, making it landlocked. In 1998, a territorial conflict erupted in which over a hundred thousand people lost their lives. Latest Statements from Ethiopia's Government Abiy and army chief General Birhanu Jula have openly claimed control of Eritrea's coastal city of the port of Assab – approximately 60 kilometers from the border - and suggested the desire to seize it militarily. In early September, the Prime Minister said the country's "mistake" of being denied passage to the Red Sea as a because of Eritrea secession would be "rectified soon". Ethiopia's ambassador to neighboring Kenya, ex-military officer Bacha, said that the port was "Ethiopia's wealth" and would be restored "using武力". Eritrea's Answer to the Statements Amid ongoing threats from Ethiopia, Eritrea's response has been limited to short statements on X from Communications Head the minister. He has rejected Ethiopia's push for sea access calling it "risky" and a "toxic agenda" of "irredentism" – a approach of retaking previous domains. Government spokespeople warned on 16 September that moves to legitimise "obvious provocation" would have significant repercussions for the Ethiopian government and its regional partners and is a "redline that should not be crossed|violated|breached". Defense Activities on the Region Currently, there are few indications of significant troop deployments in the border areas between the two countries. Nonetheless, in Ethiopia, state television has broadcast training completions of many recruits at various military training camps. The director of human resources department of the military, the officer, stated recently in an interview that the defense forces was in a "strong stance" as "numerous of youths" were entering service, which he said was "a warning to our opponents". Historical Roots of the Dispute For more than half a century from the late 19th century, the territory was governed by Italian colonisers. After the end of Italian rule, it was then controlled by the British administration before becoming a associated territory of the Ethiopian empire. However in 1962 the ruler ended this arrangement and the region became fully incorporated into the Ethiopian state. A thirty-year internal conflict occurred, concluding with Ethiopia's defeat in 1991. Independence was then approved by voters in a vote in 1993. Briefly in the 1990s, there were positive ties between the leadership in Ethiopia's capital and Asmara, but they disagreed over the specific demarcation of their mutual frontier, leading to conflict in 1998. Although this ended in a ceasefire agreement in 2000, it was partially applied, and the neighbors stayed at loggerheads. This situation improved in 2018, when Abiy made overtures to Eritrean President the president. The both leaders agreed to a statement that the war was finished – a action that gained Abiy the prestigious award. The two governments were then partners in Ethiopia's 2020-2022 civil war in the northern region. Yet diplomatic connections have later worsened once more.